The Republican Governors Association pledged on Tuesday to spend $6.2 million to defeat incumbent Gov. Tony Evers in November’s general election.

The funding will go towards an ad buy that will run between September 7th and the November 8th election. The ad will be broadcast in Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, and Wausau markets.

So far, Evers has outraised his Republican competition. Evers had $10.5 million cash on hand at the end of 2021, compared to $2.6 million for former Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch. Businessman Kevin Nicholson and State Rep. Timothy Ramthun (R-Campbellsport) announced their campaigns after the reporting period closed.

The RGA’s strategy parallels the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) approach to the 2018 gubernatorial election, which it supported Evers after he was chosen as the Democratic nominee to take on former Governor Scott Walker (R).

The RGA released its first social media ad last month, a five-figure digital buy in the Milwaukee market. The ad criticized Evers for his handling of crime in the state.

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) also released ads that target Evers. One, which broadcasted on Milwaukee television stations, knocked Evers for taking credit for the state tax cut that was passed in last year’s biennial budget. The group also released a $25,000 digital ad buy that highlighted its endorsement of Kleefisch in the Republican primary.

Watch the ad: WMC Jobs Fund – New Leadership – YouTube

Democrats have also begun to release ads, including a television advertisement in the Milwaukee market that praises Evers for signing the biennial budget’s tax cuts.

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